Guesthouse (2003/04)
buttons distributed internationally

I distributed hundreds of small badges to people who have hosted me in my travels or who have supported me in the production of my work. To wear the badge signifies membership in a virtual community, but it also comes with a commitment- those who sport the insignia are duty-bound to "host" other badge-wearers. A community member who spies the hostel logo on someone's bag or lapel is entitled to request accommodation, support, and resources from the wearer. While it seems unlikely that a traveller will run across anyone wearing a badge, the art and academic words are small ones and we run into each other more often than we think- thus, the wearing of a hostel badge is not necessarily an empty or simple promise. However, I am primarily interested in the symbolic power of the project; I am interested in creating a way for people to assert their belief in the importance of the movement of young, unestablished artists and academics and the value of the intellectual capital they bring with them- and in prompting the recipients of the badges to think about these issues and assert their own generosity, even if that generosity is never called upon by another.